Flipped my Wave yesterday for first time. I know drill: disconnect main, release jib control line ... then I got unexpected problem - hull on inside so slippery I can't stand on it! I was falling and slipping for good 5 minutes while trying to right cat.What to do? Should I sand hulls on inside?

Thanks,

_________________Andrew-----------------------------A lot of great surfers were ruined by family and steady job.

One thing that I have found that helps is staying calm. I've done the hobie slip and slide before and it was usually when I got flustered. You will wear yourself out quickly if you are constantly slipping and climbing back on.

Good point about taking your time and Creative doesn't seem to have problems in the video standing... but I can't remember ever needing to stand on the hulls, IIRC. It was get the righting line in hand, put feet on the skegs and lean back, all from the water. Biggest worry was getting separated from the boat and it scooting off.

I'd guess you didn't get the boat in the proper orientation to the wind. Likely the wind wave pressing down on the sail instead of helping to lift.

Righting FAQ:

mmiller wrote:

RIGHTING YOUR HOBIE

On that reach...flying through the air and water then...WHAM!!! Your Hobie Cat has forced you to swim instead of sail. Not really what you had in mind? if you have planned ahead you will be up and sailing again quickly. Whether sailing singlehanded or with a few friends, righting your boat can be quick and easy. First, preventing your mast from becoming one with the bottom, or turtling is a priority. We at Hobie have designed mast floats to help keep your Hobie Cat from becoming a mudhen. The floats attach to the top of your mast and will prevent the mast tip from sinking. The next objective will be to get back to sailing! Righting systems vary a bit but the theory is the same. A line is attached to your Hobie, thrown over the hull in the air and then weight (yours and or your friends) is used to lever the boat back to an upright and sailable position. After you have checked that everyone is OK, turn your hulls and mast into the wind (see diagram)

and uncleat your sails. You and your friend now need to congregate on the hull that is in the water. Grab the righting line, lean away from the trampoline and get as close to the water as you can. Try to stay out of the water. If you don't have enough body weight to right the cat we have the Righting Bucket! Just attach it to the boat with the hook that is provided, throw over the upper hull and fill the bucket with water! With the bucket strap over your shoulder, lean your weight out from the boat. The bag comes clear of the water and up the cat will come!! Grab the dolphin striker or crossbar as it comes up, climb aboard, sheet in and GO! Tipping your Hobie over can be a great way to cooloff and enjoy the water...try it! It's excellent practice for when you weren't planning to go for a swim but your Hobie decided that you needed to cool off!

At 180 lbs. it pops up almost effortlessly. Well, that is to say, you have to have patience for the time it takes for the sale to work out of the water but as soon as the mast starts to lift, your good. Of course, I've only tried it in controlled conditions to see if I could do it. The goods news is that an increased wind (which is when you are most likely to tip it) can actually help you if you get the bow pointed as per the above advice

Although last night I thought for sure I was going over. Having always sailed dinghys, I'm still not used to flying a hull so it felt like I was at 75-80 degrees before I panicked let the sail go. In reality, it was probably less. I am continually amazed at how forgiving this boat is in the wind. Now that I know it's limits I can start improving the pilots limits.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I had the boat oriented correctly, but there was little wind (4-5mph).

I think the righting bucket is exactly what I need.

Another thought- I had the righting line tied to the boat between the hulls. I'm thinking that I could swing the righting line over the top of the hull and get more leverage. Might help a bit. Anyone tried this?

One way I try to visualize righting is to think of the boat as a balance scale where the mast and sail are one side, the windward hull is the fulcrum, and whatever your weight is is on the other side. The closer you stay to the fulcrum, the less leverage you put on your side. And farther out you lean, the more leverage. I guess everyone will do it different based on weight, but I've always started with bracing my feet on windward hull, holding onto the righting line, and pulling up out of the water to get the most leverage. It's nice to have the wind push the sail up from the other side, but weighing 230 lbs sort of helps too.

Of course, if you can right it from the hull and jump back on the tramp without getting in the water like Creative did, that's really good...

What I found useful for righting was to have a couple of knots on the righting line at each end (that's what we old guys had on windsurfers before the water start). Find a convenient distance from the hull for placing the knots. It is then easier to "hang" on the line patiently until the sail gets out of the water and catches some wind. Then it goes up almost in an instant, my 155 lb seem way more than needed. To turn the boat in the right position, I usually sit or lie on the hull with legs in the water to increase the drag where needed.

Having tipped my Wave in cold water, I wish I could stay out of the water the way Creative did!

I weight 165 pounds (75kg) and found it pretty easy to right the boat, using the righting line without throwing it over the upper hull. I'm a real beginner, so I'm guessing that proper orientation to the wind makes a huge difference.

As for slipping on the hull, I always sail barefoot and have never had a problem.